Type-writing machine.



a. P. romm. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9. I91].

1,277,399Qf v PatentedSept. 3,1918.

BENJAMIN r. ron'rrn, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, Assrenon To onnnnwoonTYPE- wnrrnn COMPANY, ornnw yoann. Y., A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 191$.

Original application filed January 12, 1916, Serial No. 71,606. Dividedand this application filed June 19, 1917. Seria1No.175 ,578.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN P. Fon'rIN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Hartford, in the county of Hartford and Stateof'Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTypelVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typewriting machines and more particularlytomeans for accurately guiding the sheets while in the machine.

This invention is an improvement on a machine of the type shown anddescribed in the patent to W'ernery and Smith, 1,132,055, dated March16, 1915, in which the fanfold Web advances over an auxiliary carriage,

and then over a carbon-retracting carriage,

where the plies of the webare interleaved with carbon sheets, the latterbeing carried by the carbon-retracting carriage. The web advances thenceover a paper table and around the platen, andthen to a paper shelf atthe delivery side of the platen.

A feature of this invention is the provision ofmeans whereby the sheetsmay be accurately gaged and guided during the Q11? tire travel throughthe machine, particu, larly at critical points in said travel.

The auxiliary paper table at the intake side of the machine is providedwith a pair of upstanding fingers 'or side-edge gages, between which theleading end of the web advances.

To guide the web proper into register with the carbon sheets, thecarbon-retracting carriage is provided with guides which engage the sideedges of the folded web just before the web is interleaved with thecarbon sheets. a

After a portion of the web has been writ ten upon, the platen is lifted,to straighten out the webs to permit the retraction of the carbons. Theweb sheets are then pulled forwardly by hand until the leading edgesthereof meet a gage extending up from the paper shelf at the deliveryside of the machine.- This gage determines the location of the bottomedge of the written form, which may thereupon be severed from the web bymeans of a knife.

To aid the operator in accurately alining the bottom edge of the writtenform with the knife, a gage is provided upon the auxiliary paper shelf.This gage is arranged to be engaged by the side edge of the paper,before the written form is severed from the web.

hen the carbon sheets are relieved from pressure by the shifting of theplaten, the 60 carbon carriage is moved rearwardly to I bring theinterleaved carbon sheets thereon into cooperation with a fresh portionof the web. During this movement, the guides ar ranged thereon, jog theweb into proper superposed relation with the :arbon sheets.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of the novelarrangement and construction of these various gages, whereby they may beeconomically manufactured and readily attached to the machine, and sothat adjustment may be made for the purpose of permitting forms ofvarious dimensions to be used.

Another feature is the provision of one of the guides at theintroductory side of the machine, with means whereby it may also be usedto grip the web and prevent the same from falling off the machine. Thiscombined guide and gripper is adjustable to accommodate webs of variouswidths.

This application is. arlivision of my copending application, Serial No.71,606, filed January 12, 1916 (now Patent No. 1,237,319, dated August21, 1917.).

Other features and advantages will hereafter appear.

Tn the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention asapplied toarr-Underwood typewriting machine.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the locking device for theweb-holding finger at the roar of thetable.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in side elevation and par ly in crosssection.

web before the same is cut.

- to do so.

Referring to the drawings, the platen 10 has an axle 11 which isjournaled in a frame having end pieces or arms 12 fast to a rockshaft13. The shaft 13 is journaled in the end plates 1 1 of the platencarriage. The frame for which the shaft 13 serves as a pivot, isnormally held in Fig. 1 position, with the platen down against the usualfeed rolls 15 and 16. It is swung from its normal. or printing position,as shown in the patent to lVernery and Smith, N 0. 1,132,055, by meansof an arm or handle 17, which latter is also fast to the shaft 13. Forlooking the platen frame in printing position, the handle 17 carries apin 18 adapted to be engaged by a hook 19 pivotally mounted on a bracket20 on the left-hand end plate 1 1 of the platen carriage. A spring 21engages the hook and the bracket to hold the hook in platen lockingposition, and to return the hook to such position when free The nose ofthe hook is shaped at 22 to permit the pin 18 to cam it backward untilthe pin. can pass under the nose, thereby making the locking operationautomatic when the platen frame is swung down to normal position. Atooth 23 on the hook may serve to determine the return throw, and normalposition of the platen, in con junction with a pin or stop 24 on therighthand end carriage piece 141, against which the arm 12 strikes whenthe platen is thrown 'mesh with gears 30 and 31.

down.

To effect the line-space feed or rotation of the platen, there areprovided the usual hand wheel 25 and ratchet wheel 26, both fast to ashort shaft 27, mounted to rotate in the left-hand end piece 1 1 of thecarriage. In printing position, the shaft, 27 is concentric with theplaten shaft 11. The ratchet 26 is actuated by a pawl 28 on a slide 29which may be operated, as in Underwood typewriting machines, by alinespace lever (not shown). A spring pawl (not shownl holds the ratchetwheel and platen against accidental displacement.

The driving connection between the shaft 27. whose axis doe-snot shift,and the platen axle 11, which swings from one to another position,consists of gears 30, 31 and 32. The gear 30 is fast to the shaft 27;the gear 31 is fast to the platen shaft 11, and is of the same size andnumber of teeth as gear 30; and the gear 32 is loose on the shaft 13around which the platen swings, and has a face of sufficient widthsimultaneously to p A driving con nection between the shaft 27 andthe'platen is thus maintained.

In the patent to Wernery and Smith, above referred to, it is shown thatin the operation of removing a printed length of the web, and inreadjusting the web for printing the next length, the platen is swung upfrom printing position to a position away from the feed rolls, so thatthe. web no longer wraps around the platen, but may be moved freely insubstantially a straight line from the back to the front of the machine.lVhen the platen is in this position, the carbon sheets between theplies or folds of the section of the web to be removed, are drawn backinto the length or section of web next to be printed; and, afterwithdrawing a length of the web, the platen is returned to its normalposition against the feed rolls.

The web is preferably in a single piece, fan-folded longitudinally, toprovide for several copies when carbon sheets are interleaved with thefolds. It may also be in crosswise fan-folded condition before being fedinto the machine to permit of compactness and convenience in handling,or it may be fed from a roll. It is fed into the machine over a bar 33at the rear of a table 3 1, shown as formed of tubing. The rear bar isconnected with a front bar 35 by side bars 36. The front bar 35 ismounted in ears 39 on brackets 40 on the platen carriage. From the siderails 36 depend arms 43 carrying rolls 44awhich ride and support thetable on a rail 415, connected to the main frame of the machine.

The web is led-across the table and ove1 the front end thereof behindthe platen, whence it is passed down between the platen and the pressurerolls, and thence up across the printing line at the type T, and onto a105 paper shelf 18 forming part of the swinging platen frame carried bythe arms 12. To the shelf 48 is secured a gage in the form of a bar 19,having adjustably mounted thereon a gage piece 50. The latter is a bent110 metal strip having openings through which the bar 19 passes, andhaving an offset portion against which the web can be drawn in measuringthe length of the sheet to be cut from the web at the cutter 51. Thecuttei. 115 is shown as a blade fast to a sleeve 52 which is loose onthe shaft 13. A finger piece 53, also fast to the sleeve 52, is used toswing the cutter against the web when a measured length of the latter isto be removed. A 120 snriug 54 holds the cutter in normal position awayfrom the web, and returns the cutter to that position when'the fingerpiece is released.

hen the platen is thrown up to release 125 the web, and the web is drawnforward to the gage piece 50. preliminary to cutting.

traction of the carriage, with the carbon turned from true position, andmay be out a blade or guiding portion 57 (seeFigs. l

and 5) for the side edge of the web. The guide 56 has a hole through itto receive any one of several screws 58, positioned at intervals alongthe brace 55, according to the before it is cut.

width of web employed; and a thumb nut 59 threads onto the screws fordetachably securing the guide in selected position. Ears 60 on theguide, by engagement with the edge of the brace, prevent the guide frombeing tipped out of correct posltion, and aid in the proper setting ofthe guide.

It has been stated that the web is folded longitudinally so that apluralityrof copies may be made at a time by the use of carbon sheets.These carbon sheets, as above stated, are drawn back from the writtenportion of the web, into the length thereof next to be written, at thetime the web is relea ed, and For permitting forward line-space feed ofthe carbon with the web, and for withdrawing the carbon sheets from thewritten to the next unwritten section of the web, there is provided acarriage. 61 to which the rear ends of the carbon sheets are attached.This carriage, (see Fig. 1) consists of a rectangular plate 66, havinggrooved rollers 64 which ride on rails 65 attached by screws to the topsof the side bars 36 of the table.

On the carriage 61, at each side thereof, is a stepped block 741.Fingers or clips 75, to each of which one carbon sheet may be attached,are securedto the steps76 of the blocks 74. The fingers are staggered;alternate fingers being secured'to the same side of the carriage, sothat the fingers may lie in the oppositely directed fan-folds of theweb. The steps ''76 space the several folds ofthe web sothat the fingerswhich hold the carbon sheets may not bind the web. The web, therefore,'as soon as it reaches the carriage 61 becomes interleaved with thecarbon sheets, the rear edges of which are held and the front edges ofwhich are free,except that they areclamped be tween the folds ofthe webatthe platen by the pressure rolls 15and16. Releaseof this pressure, onlifting the platen, permits resheets,'relatively to the web;' and ahandle 79-011 Lthe plate66 serves as a means for throwing back thecarriage 61. A suitable step may be provided for stopping the carriageat the proper throw of the same.

Side. gages or guides for the web, in its passage across the table, areprovided. One set of these is carried by the carbon holding plate 66,and comprises L shaped members 91-, the uprights 95 of which form theweb guiding surfaces. These L shaped members are carried by and arepreferably integral with strips or plates 96, slotted at 97 for thepassage therethrough of thumb screws 98, which are threaded into thebacks of the stepped blocks 74-. The screws 98 have shoulders 99 sothat, by turning the screws in or out, the plates 96 may be clamped inset position, or may be released to he slid on the blocks 7% to anysetting according to the width of the web. Flanges 100 on the blockssupport the lower edges of the plates 96 to maintain the guide pieces 95in vertical position. The plates 96 also have offsets 101 at their endswhich by engagement with the sides of the blocks 74, prevent the plates96 from being thrown inward against the screws 98 in such manner as toinjure the latter.

Another set of lateral guides or gages for the web is found on a bar 102rigidly sup ported by arms 103 from the rear bar 33 of the table. Theseguides comprise upright plates 104 and 105, each fast to a sleeve 106slidable along the bar 102, (see Fig. 2). The bar 102, which is shown asa tube, is perforated at107 at intervals therealong to receive lockingpins 108 which are shiftable in and out of the sleeves 106, and which,by projecting into the bar 102, hold the guides in place. Leaf springs109 embrace the sleeves 106, and each has one end fixedly secured to thesleeve by a screw 110. The springs are slotted circumferentially thereofat 111 for the passage therethrough of headed screws 112 carried by thesleeves. The heads of the screws 112 hold the underlying ends of thesprings to the sleeves, but not tightly enough to prevent free movementof the free ends of the springs circumferentially of the sleeve withinthe limits defined position on each return by the slots 111. The pins108 also pass be turned down against the web to hold the web fromslipping or being displaced when the carbons are belng interleaved, orwhenever the web ISIQlGElSGd from the platen and is not held by hand.This clamp consists of a finger 113" horizontally offset from the guide105. The left-hand sleeve106 is not only slidable along the bar 102, butmay be turned thereon to bring the finger 113 to theweb. The :tront ofthe bar 102, at the left-hand side Of the table, also perforated atpoints 114:, so that when the finger 113 is swung to web-engagingposition it may be looked in such position by entry of the pin 108 inwhichever of the holes 114 accords to the set position of the guidealong the bar.

It will be seen that the guides 104 and 105 at the introductory side ofthe machine, the guides 95 on the carbon-retracting carriage 61, and theguide 57 and gage 50 at the delivery sideof the machine, jointly aid inproperly guiding the Web through the machine.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention,andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described'my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, a platen, means for holding a web to theplaten, means for releasing the Web from the platen, a table over whichthe web is lied to the platen, and a device for holding the web when thelatter is released from the platen,-said last-named device comprisingalso a guide for theedgeot the web as the 'Web is fed to the platen.

QuIn a typewriting machine, a platen, means for holding a web to theplaten, means for releasing the web from the platen, and a shiftabledevice for holding the web against movement, or for'guiding the Web,according to the position to which said device is shifted.

3. In a typewriting machine, a platen, means-tor holding aweb to theplaten, means for releasing the web from the platen, and a device havingaaweb-guidiilg surface and a web-holding member, said device beingmovable from a normal web-guiding position to a web-holding position.

4'. In a typewriting machine, a platen, means for holding a web to theplaten, means for releasing the web from the platen, and a devicehavinga web-guiding surface and a web-holding member, said device beingpivotally mounted to be swung from'a normal web-guiding position to aweb-holding position.

5. In a typewriting machine. a platen, means for holding a web to theplaten, means for releasing'the web from the platen, adevice ha ing aweb-guiding surface and a web-holding member, said device beingpivotally mounted to be swung from a normal web-guiding position to aweb-holding position. and a spring-controlled lockpin for holding saiddevice in either position.

6. In a typewriting machine, a platen,

means for holdinga -Web=to the: platen, means for releasing the web fromthe platen, and. an armnormally acting as a Web-guid ing member buthaving an offset finger adapted to be swung against theweb to hold thelatter against movement.

7. In :a typewriting machine, a platen, means for holding a web totheplaten, in cans for releasing the web from the platen, a rod, a: sleeverockable on the rod, a web guide and holder carried by: the sleeve, and

a pin carried by the sleeve adapted to be shifted into. and out ofperforations arranged at different angular positions in the rod forlocltingsaid sleeve with the guide in Web-guiding position, and forlocking said sleeve. after ithas beenturnedon the rod tOlLWQb-llOlCllIlg:position.

-8. In a typewriting machine,a platen, means for holding a Web to theplaten, means for releasing the Web from the platen, arod, a sleeve:rockable on the rod, a web guide and'holder carried by thesleeve, a pincarried by the sleeve adapted to be shifted intoand out of: perforationsarranged at different angular positions in the. rod for locking saidsleeve with the guide in webguiding position, and for locking saidsleeve after it'has been turned on the rod to a webholding position, anda spring carried by said sleeve for holding the pin in eitherlocking-position.

9. In' a typewriting machine,a platen, a table over which a-work-pieceis fed to the platen a device movable into and out of engagement withthe .Work-piece on the table for holding thework-piece againstdisplacement thereon, or for releasing the work-piece topermit feed ofthe same, ac-

cording to the position of said device, and

means for adjusting the setting of said de vice for worlepieces ofdifferent widths.

10. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a table over which a work-pieceis fed to the platen, a device movable into and out of engagement withthe work-piece on the table for holding thework-piece againstdisplacement thereon. or for releasing the workpiece to permit feed ofthe same, according tothe-positi on of said device, and means foradjustingthesetting of said device for workpieces of different widths,said device com prising also a guide for the side edge of thework-piece.

lluThe' combination with a'platen, of means for feeding a work-piece ina plurality of plies to the platen, a table over which the work-piece isfed to the platen. a c rriage movable on said table and toward and awayfrom the platen, means on the we riage for holding transfer materialbetween the plies of the work-piece as the latter is fed to the platenand for shifting the transfer material backward along the work-piece tosuccessive placements thereon, a guide on ing the end of said slot fromstriking the said carriage, for the side edge of the Workthreads of sandscrew When the guide 1s piece, having a screw-and-slot c0nnect10nshifted.

to the carriage so that it may be set thereon BENJAMIN P. FORTIN. forWork-pieces of different Widths, means Witnesses:

ceiiperating With said screw to lock the W. M. BYORKMAN,

guide in set position, and a stop for prevent- FRANK A. COOK.

Gopflem ef this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the "Commission er of Patentm, Washington, D. 0."

